According to Eurostat, the number of 17-year-old students not registered in post-secondary or tertiary educational institutions in Malta between 2000 and 2009 averaged 44.7 per cent.
Answering two parliamentary questions by Labour MP Owen Bonnici, Education Minister Dolores Cristina said Eurostat’s definition of an early school leaver referred to youths aged between 18 and 24 who did not follow up compulsory education with additional study or training. The percentages in the 10 years starting from 2000 were 54.2, 54.4, 53.2, 49.9, 42.1, 38.9, 39.9, 38.3, 39 and 36.8.